Apricot Chicken Recipe
My love for chicken thigh pieces coated in cornstarch and shallow fried in a pan is huge. It’s the dinner I crave the most often, and I find it so comforting. It’s better than takeout, because my recipe actually creates the thick, crave-able crust you only see in restaurants or frozen dinners.
Apricot Chicken Ingredients
The secret to the crust is so simple–the chicken pieces are coated in cornstarch and then dipped in beaten egg before going into the pan. That’s it–totally gluten free by accident, because cornstarch created a thick, crispy crust. The egg puffs up on the chicken as it fries, and the result is the most perfect crust on a chicken. We haven’t even talked about this super simple apricot sauce: apricot preserves, garlic, and soy sauce. I’ve always got apricot jam in my pantry to make thumbprint cookies, and garlic and soy sauce are pantry staples for me, too. It blows my mind that this whole apricot recipe only requires 7 ingredients:
chicken thighs cornstarch egg apricot preserves soy sauce garlic oil for frying
I serve mine with wild rice and chopped scallions, but broccoli on the side would be so good, too!
How to Make Apricot Chicken Thighs
I love using a jar of apricot preserves that has pieces of apricot in it because they look so beautiful in the final dish, and the pockets of sweetness are so good! I love this recipe so much, that I’ll answer any questions you might have to help convince you to make it.
Apricot Jam Chicken Tips
Chicken - Go ahead and buy boneless, skinless chicken thighs to save time on prep with this recipe. Jam - It’s best to use jam, not jelly to make this recipe. Jam is made with whole fruit and often contains pieces of fruit in the final product, which is delicious! Jelly is made with juice and is much thinner. Sides - I serve this with wild rice, but plain white rice, rice with mixed grains, or even noodles are great! Broccoli, bok choy, or Brussels sprouts are great on the side, too.
More like this Apricot Jam Chicken Recipe
Honey Garlic ChickenChicken Cacciatore RecipeInstant Pot Chicken Teriyaki ThighsHoney Mustard Chicken Thighs 2. Use kitchen scissors to cut each chicken thigh into 5-6 pieces that are about 2" chunks. Toss the chicken with the salt and pepper. 3. Add the cornstarch to bowl, and add the chicken pieces and stir to coat. 4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. This might not seem like enough egg, but it is! 5. Heat the oil in a 10" skillet over medium high heat. Test the oil by dropping in a pinch of the cornstarch mixture–if it bubbles and sizzles right away, the oil is ready for frying. 6. Dip each piece of chicken from the cornstarch into the egg mixture lightly, and then move it to the awaiting oil. Fry each piece of chicken on both sides until lightly golden brown. Do not worry about cooking it all the way through at this point. When each piece is done, move it to the prepared pan. 7. While the chicken cooks, whisk together the apricot jam, soy sauce, and garlic until homogenous. 8. When all of the chicken is done being fried and evenly spaced on the pan, pour over the sauce. Toss to coat the chicken evenly in the sauce, and then bake in the oven for 14-15 minutes. 9. Toss the chicken again before serving with rice and chopped scallions (optional).
